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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23449501">Heart of Steel (game)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chlokers/pseuds/Chlokers'>Chlokers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>80 Days (Video Game 2014), Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours | Around the World in Eighty Days - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Interactive Fiction, M/M, Missing Scene, Secret Identity, Unrequited Crush, fan game square, i can't believe i made a fan game of a fan game, just as 80 days, plzplzplz play!!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:09:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,006</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23449501</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chlokers/pseuds/Chlokers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Passepartout was faced with an ultimate question.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Phileas Fogg/Jean Passepartout</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Heart of Steel (game)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I can't believe I've spent over eight hours working on this. But it is finally finished. A interactive fiction game just like 80 days, using the same engine.<br/>Basically just making up for the promise I made 2 years ago ;)<br/>The link is:  </p><p>https://chlokers.itch.io/heartofsteel</p><p>The game works better in PC than mobiles. Do use a PC if possible :)<br/>enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Warning: The following text contains major spoiler of the story.</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Obviously, I cannot paste the game itself here.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>So I put the coded text of the game here for you to check if there are any branches you've missed.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It's a silly warning, but I still have to put it there.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I'd strongly advise you play the game first!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>And if you try different branches yourself, that's enormously better!!!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Now I see you've read so far...Then</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Here we go!!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p># theme: dark<br/># author: Chlokers</p><p>&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Hongkong, 1872&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;</p><p><br/>The opium den of Hongkong was filled with addicts. Smoke permeated and blurred the surroundings, leaving only a few inches of clear sight. </p><p>It was all strangely quiet; only once a while would a blurted or murmured word break the silence, in languages that I could not understand. It seemed that the occupants of this place were satisfied enough to immerse in their own fantasies and paid no heed to others.</p><p>+ [Fortunately, I had a guide...] <br/>-&gt;guide</p><p>=== guide ===</p><p>Fortunately, I had a guide who claimed to be familiar with this den. </p><p>I tried to recall the circumstances. This Mr. Fix bumped into me when my master and I disembarked, and with a series of apologies we made each other's acquaintance. Very soon I discovered that he was also a travelling Englishman. </p><p>* Curious dispositions indeed! &lt;&gt;</p><p>    But alas, since such a quiet and orderly gentleman as my master can take on a journey across the globe, it is no wonder that his compatriots have similar thirst for adventure. <br/>    <br/>* A suspicious coincidence. &lt;&gt;</p><p>    I was certain that this Fix laid his eyes on me and my master almost immediately upon our arrival. I must be up to something that he was interested in, but how?<br/>    <br/>-He asked me to have a drink with him, which I accepted <br/>* for the warmth it brings.[..] &lt;&gt;<br/>    I would sincerely love to have someone to talk to, after the narrow escape from the Burmese thugs. &lt;&gt;<br/>* for the oblivion it grants.[..] &lt;&gt;<br/>    The dread of our latest expedition was hard to forget. It had seemed that we were death-trapped in the hands of savages. These days, I had to force away my fear to fall asleep, sometimes for hours. I had even woke up in the midnight once, with my master's name on my lips. <br/>-As to my master, since the rescue he bravely conducted--and the following predicament--he had been growingly fascinated by Princess Aouda, and consequently less attended by me. An affair which I had no finger in, even if I wished otherwise. <br/>-&gt;investigation<br/>    <br/>=== investigation ===</p><p>Led by hand for a long distance, I found myself eventually seated in a corner of the shabby place, undisturbed by the dizzy drugsters, with Fix on the opposite. <br/>For a moment we merely sat, me drinking away my fatigue, whereas Fix apparently ruminating on something else. Finally he broke the silence.<br/>"I have heard that your master is...going around the world." He began. "A most curious activity."</p><p>* (agree)"That is true[."]&lt;&gt;<br/>    ," I agreed, taking a sip of my liquor. "I had just entered his service for a few hours and we were suddenly on this journey! It is unbelievable."<br/>    "And expensive, I suppose."<br/>    ** "We have spent a lot indeed." &lt;&gt;<br/>    ** "Excellent trade choices will compensate!" &lt;&gt;<br/>        I responded, unconsciously quoting my master's compliment. "Souvenirs can make a fortune if sold in the right place."<br/>        "But for such a global journey, surely selling souvenirs will not be enough?"<br/>        *** "No worries. We're amply funded." &lt;&gt;<br/>    --  I mused, silently counting our funds. &lt;&gt;<br/>    --  (calculation)My master was incredibly good at maths; he would sometimes look at my calculations and point out mistakes in a few seconds. A typical Foggish feature alongside his punctuality and meticulosity! <br/>    I noticed Fix's expression change.<br/>    "Well, what is the matter?"<br/>   <br/>* (purpose)"We have good purposes." &lt;&gt;<br/>    I rebuked, "My master has a wager to win!"<br/>    "Are you sure that is the true purpose?"<br/>    ** "What do you mean?" &lt;&gt;<br/>    I felt offended for my master, and put down my glass. "An Englishman always takes his wager seriously!"</p><p>- {purpose:Fix}{agree:He} scrutinized me for a moment. "I thought you would have known it already. I'm Detective Fix. I've been tracking down a theft in Bank of England. Fifty-five thousand pounds."</p><p>    * (justice) "An audacious behaviour!" &lt;&gt;<br/>    I exclaimed, "the thief must be put to justice!"<br/>    * (money)"Fifty-five thousand!" &lt;&gt;<br/>        I gasped. "That is surely a large amount!"<br/>    * I was too shocked to reply.[..]<br/>    - Fix nodded. " The thief has been identified as a human-shaped automaton. Although his face is not known, the police have been able to produce a sketch of his back. See here," he produced a piece of newspaper from his coat, and handed it to me. -&gt;automaton<br/>    <br/>=== automaton ===<br/>    *"I wasn't aware that automata are capable of that."<br/>    "The artificers today build literally everything," Fix replied, his tone far from delighted. "I bet you have seen some of their products."<br/>    ** (we)"We have indeed!" &lt;&gt;<br/>    I replied, the memory suddenly vivid. Monsieur Fogg and I had been traveling in vehicles with wings, wheels and whistles, and some were entirely autopiloted. He seemed indifferent to these novel technologies, but I &lt;&gt;<br/>    ** "I have indeed!" &lt;&gt;<br/>    Although Monsieur Fogg cared only about the speed of vehicles, I had ventured into the Artificer Guilds to see other inventions, and &lt;&gt;<br/>    --was &lt;&gt;<br/>    **fascinated[...] &lt;&gt;<br/>    by their mesmerising beauty and infinite potentials.<br/>    ** scared[...] &lt;&gt;<br/>    that these inventions one day might cross the borderline between creature and creator.<br/>    <br/>    -- The detective sighed{we:, undisturbed by my choice of pronoun}. "Walking cities, gyrocrafts, robots. And now, they strive to create human with a heart of steel."<br/>    -&gt;automaton<br/>    *"So how did you find out its identity?"<br/>    "It tripped over the sidewalk while escaping. The loud clangs was virtually heard over the City." -&gt;automaton<br/>    *"It looks like a well-educated gentleman!" <br/>        "Exactly. A well-disguised machine." -&gt;automaton<br/>    + "But what does this have to do with our travels?"<br/>    Fix mused a while before proceeding. His look somehow made me chilled to the spine in spite of the liquor that I had taken. His question was worse. <br/>    "Don't you recognize it?"<br/>    -&gt;identification<br/>        <br/>=== identification ===<br/>    *I looked at the clip of newspaper again.[..] &lt;&gt;<br/>            The photo was smeared, and the ink had faded--perhaps that was why I didn't realize at the first place. Yet the familiarity, when it came, hit me with horror.<br/>            After a while, I returned the clip to Fix.<br/>    "Well?" He asked.-&gt;identification<br/>    +(deny)I shook my head.[..] &lt;&gt;<br/>        "I'm afraid I do not, monsieur." But the shiver in my voice betrayed me. <br/>    +I nodded slowly[...]&lt;&gt;<br/>        , speechless.<br/>    -"We assume that your master was the main suspect," Fix told me, "{investigation.justice: And he is escaping from justice, just as you said.|It is him who took the fifty-five thousand pounds away.} "<br/>    * "But that is utterly impossible!" &lt;&gt;<br/>        I exclaimed, enraged. To say my monsieur &lt;i&gt;resembled&lt;/i&gt; a machine was one thing, but to say that he &lt;i&gt;was&lt;/i&gt; was another. "Monsieur Fogg surely is not an automaton, but a true &lt;i&gt;homme vivant&lt;/i&gt;!"<br/>        "Are you sure? From what I've gathered, he seems a most peculiar man. By the way, your master's journey happened to start just a few days after the theft. It'll be hard not to think otherwise."  <br/>        -&gt;possibilities<br/>    * {deny} "Ah, I'm sure there has been some mistake,"&lt;&gt;<br/>        I said, intent to keep our affair out of this. My monsieur was the most amazing person that I have known, and the last person to be a thief. "Monsieur Fogg is an upright gentleman. He has nothing to do with such unlawful behaviours."<br/>        "But we're sure it's him, too," Fix replied, "According to my investigations, his life habits are most peculiar, and there's this absurd journey just a few days after the theft. It'll be hard not to think otherwise. " <br/>        -&gt;possibilities<br/>    * (falter)I faltered[...]&lt;&gt;<br/>        <br/>        -&gt;possibilities<br/>        </p><p>===possibilities===</p><p>{{not identification.falter:Begrudgingly, I allowed the possibilities to gradually kick in. First, there was|, but the possibilities gradually kicked in. First, there was}|Then, there was|Lastly, there was|&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;But that was enough. &lt;&gt;}<br/>* my master's punctuality[...]&lt;&gt;<br/>    ; he was able to tell the time without looking at any clock or watch. In our initial encounter, he had pointed out that my watch was quick by two minutes--with words less than warm.<br/>    **(love1)But that could be explained, of course.[..] &lt;&gt;<br/>    Punctuality was simply a habit; gentlemen have all sorts of peculiar habits, and Monsieur Fogg have but one. I had soon accustomed myself to my master's habit, not out of sheer duty, but also with due respect. And although I never timed my silver watch since our departure, the tone of his recent corrections have been milder, even tender.-&gt;possibilities<br/>    **The precision was almost inhuman[...]<br/>    , I had to admit. But to attain master's satisfaction was a valet's duty, so I quickly made it a habit of mine just as his, and ensured that my time was always exact.    -&gt;possibilities<br/>* his curious ability of calculating.[..] &lt;&gt;<br/>{not investigation.calculation:My master was incredibly good at maths; he would sometimes look at my calculations and point out mistakes in a few seconds. He|I believe I have mentioned my master's talent of maths; he} can even tell exactly how many minutes we're left with, if asked. <br/>    **(love2)Such swiftness and accuracy with numbers[...] &lt;&gt;<br/>    often resulted in me marveling at his performance, and on rare occasions, my praise would be returned with a tiny, almost invisible curl of lips.     -&gt;possibilities<br/>    **That was an unnatural endowment for human[...]&lt;&gt;<br/>    , but not entirely unseen. He was simply gifted. Probably my master was born to be a mathematician? I laughed silently at this thought.    -&gt;possibilities<br/>* his emotionless appearance.[..] &lt;&gt;<br/>    My master was indeed somehow phlegmatic above the average level, <br/>    **(love3)but all those who have been around him[...] &lt;&gt;<br/>    would know that this was exactly just an appearance. I had seen the tiny sparkles that betrayed his indifferent complexion, of happiness, excitement and anguish alike. These changes were subtle and easy to let slip, but I endeavoured to grasp every moment and keep them inscribed in my memory--although my master had never known, and would never know.     -&gt;possibilities<br/>    **and I myself had wondered once or twice[...] &lt;&gt;<br/>    if he really had a heart of steel.     -&gt;possibilities</p><p>* -&gt; <br/>All these were merely excuses. I remembered the touch of my master, and that was all the evidence that I needed.<br/>No automata could simulate the touch of Monsieur Fogg.<br/>-&gt;ending</p><p>===ending===<br/>I realized that the detective had been watching me intently. "You look distracted." He pointed out, somewhat sharp. "Are you now convinced?"<br/>*"I'm sure you're mistaken." &lt;&gt;<br/>I replied. "I will guarantee it with my own life that Monsieur Fogg is not the person--or thing--that you're looking for." Then I took a deep breath, and continued.<br/>"Monsieur Fogg is the best master I have served, the best gentleman I have encountered, and the best--friend--I have the chance to claim as my own."<br/>I wished my master would not blame me for making such a claim. Unrequitted, audacious, and unshameful. I could feel my cheeks blushing. I had drunk too much this evening. <br/>Detective Fix seemed startled by my sudden shower of compliment. "Well. Probably you should take this," he blinked before handing me a long pipe, stuffed with herbs.<br/>**I took it[...] &lt;&gt;<br/>and, without thinking, took a deep breath.<br/>The world soon started to feel drifty, and my head dizzy. I heard Detective Fix speaking.<br/>"You've provided me with a largely unsuccessful investigation, Passepartout. There was only one thing I have been sure. You are not such a machine like your master." <br/>Fix stood up from his chair, and my furious rebuttal was stuck in my throat. Strength was fading from my every muscle. Suddenly, I had to fight to keep my eyes open.<br/>"Sleep well." He gave me a final look, the emotion of which was best interpreted as condescending pity, and left.<br/>{possibilities.love1 and possibilities.love2 and possibilities.love3:<br/>Relations with Fogg have strengthened.#CLASS: relationship<br/>- else:<br/>{possibilities.love1 or possibilities.love2 or possibilities.love3:<br/>Relations with Fogg have strengthened slightly. #CLASS: relationship<br/>}<br/>}<br/>-&gt;END</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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